The Spatial Style of Thinking and Its Relation to the Masculine Sex Role.

Skinner, Pierce

Research on hemispheric specialization indicates that the two hemispheres of the brain are specialized to perform different functions. A visual style of thinking is associated with the right hemisphere, while a verbal style is associated with the left hemisphere. The possibility of a relationship between psychological androgyny and sex role stereotyping and the integrated or singular use of these thinking styles was investigated. Undergraduates (N=42) completed the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) to determine sex role identification and the Hemispheric Preference Test to assess preferred thinking style. Significant correlations were found between the right, spatial-intuitive style of thinking and the masculine sex role. Lower correlations were found between the left, language-sequential style of thinking and the masculine sex role. The spatial-intuitive style of thinking was related to such traits as strong will, analytical thinking, assertiveness, decisiveness, athletic activity, leadership ability, individualism, self-sufficiency, and independence. The findings suggest that the desire to become more masculine may entail development and integration of the spatial-intuitive style of thinking in moderately greater proportion to the language-sequential style of thinking than currently prevails. (Author/NRB)